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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



A METHOD 

FOR 

TEACHING PRIMARY READING 

BY 

LIDA BROWN McMURRY 



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THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 

NKW YORK • BOSTON • CHICAGO • DALLAS 
ATLANTA • SAN FRANCISCO 

MACMILLAN & CO., Limited 

LONDON • BOMBAY ■ CALCUTTA 
MELBOURNE 

THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, Ltd. 

TORONTO 



A METHOD 



FOR 



TEACHING PRIMARY READING 



BY 
LIDA BROWN McMURRY 



THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 
1914 

All rights reserved 



O' 



^''ft 



Copyright, 1914, 
By the MACMILLAN COMPANY. 



Set up and electrotyped. Published July, 1914, 



NorJlJOOtl i^rfgg 

J. 8. Gushing Co. — Berwick & Smith Co. 

Norwood, Mass., U.S.A. 



/ 



iTo 



JUL 16 1914 

©CI.A376673 



PREFACE 

This book has been prepared to be used as a 
manual by teachers of beginning reading in the 
primary grades in the elementary schools. The 
methods that are outlined here may be used in 
connection with any other method or with any 
set of basal readers. 

The application and the suggestions given 
here are general ; and yet teachers, who are per- 
plexed by problems in the teaching of primary 
reading, will be able, by following this step-by- 
step process, to overcome many specific diffi- 
culties. Teachers will find, also, that the 
suggestions embodied in this method may be 
used advantageously to supplement any method 
and to vary and enrich the process of teaching 
reading. 

This manual goes far in the application of 
reading methods and the establishment of right 
reading habits. Stress is here laid upon the 
few most important habits that the pupil must 
form, no matter from what book he may read. 



vi PREFACE 

The plan here outlined for introducing pupils 
to reading has been thoroughly tested out in 
the Primary Department of the DeKalb State 
Normal Training School. It is in response to 
the requests of many primary teachers that the 
manual has been prepared. 

LIDA BROWN McMURRY. 



PART ONE 
BEGINNING READING 



A METHOD FOR TEACHING 
PRIMARY READING 

CHAPTER I 

INTRODUCTION 

There are habits of reading that the pupils 
should form in the Primary Grades. The most 
important at the outset are : 

The habit of looking to a word, phrase, or sen- 
tence for its meaning. 

The habit of attacking a word with the as- 
surance that, through knowledge of the sounds 
of letters and combinations of letters, the pupils 
can find out what it says. 

The one habit deals with the thought and the 
other with the form, but they must go hand in 
hand. To establish the child in these habits is 
the Primary Teacher's problem in Reading. 

The following method is a plan for solving this 
problem : 

To aid in forming the first habit, directions for 
playing games and sentences which direct the 

3 



4 METHOD FOR TEACHING PRIMARY READING 

pupils to perform actions are very valuable. Be- 
sides fixing this habit they give the little children 
exercise and a feeHng of at-homeness. Later, 
riddles, short stories, and rhymes are given. 

To aid in forming the second habit, the sounds 
of letters and combinations of letters are taught, 
and the pupils are encouraged to make out for 
themselves the new words that are presented. 
The consonants in common use and the short 
sounds of the vowels are taught first. When the 
short sounds of the vowels have become perfectly 
familiar to the pupils, the long sounds are taught. 

The order followed in teaching these sounds is 
suggested by the directions given in the games 
and by the words used later in the stories, riddles, 
and rhymes. 

Steps taken to form these habits through play- 
ing games : 

First Step. Playing the game from oral direc- 
tions. 

Second Step. Playing the game from written 
directions, the pupils getting the words by sound- 
ing the letters which compose them. 

Third Step. Making new words which are 
within the children's vocabulary and which con- 
tain letters the sounds of which the pupils have 



INTRODUCTION 5 

learned, and having the pupils get these words by 
sounding the letters. These words are given in 
stories which the teacher tells to the pupils, she 
writing the words which they are to sound, upon 
the board. This is the application of the Second 
Step and gives zest to the review. 

Fourth Step. Using the new words in new games 
or in additional directions in games which they 
have had. This is to familiarize the pupils with 
them. It is the application of the Third Step. 



CHAPTER II 

THE "I SAY" GAME 

First Step. Directions for the pupils : 

I say, sit. I say, trot. 

I say, skip. I say, stand. 

I say, tap. I say, run. 

I say, rap. I say, jump. 

I say, hop. I say, fly. 

No child should move to follow a command that 
is not preceded by ''I say/' e.g. if the teacher says, 
" tap," no child should move. If she says, '' I say, 
tap,'' the child called upon should tap on the wall 
with the tips of his fingers. The pupils learn to 
play the game freely and joyously from oral 
directions given by the teacher. They try to see 
how many can escape without once being caught. 

Second Step. The written directions are now 
gradually substituted for the oral directions, 
e.g. the teacher says, "I say — " and writes sit 
upon the board instead of giving it orally. The 
pupil called upon will probably say, ^'I do not 
know what that tells me to do." The teacher 

6 



THE "I SAY" GAME 7 

says, "I will help you to find out," and by point- 
ing to and sounding each letter in turn — sit 
— the pupil catches the word. Perhaps no other 
direction need be given in writing on this first 
day, the others all being given orally. At the 
close of the recitation a rapid drill is given on 
the sounds of the three letters, sit, and the same 
drill is given at the beginning of the recitation on 
the next day. The next written direction given 
is skipy which contains only two new letters to 
be taught by sound. The pupils give the first 
and third sounds, and the teacher sounds k and 
p for them. Gradually the other eight directions 
are taught from the blackboard. When these 
are all familiar the pupils not only know ten 
words, but the sounds of d, /, h, 7, k, m, n, p, r, s, 
/, a, tj 0, ttj y. The diacritical marks are not 
used, for the pupils will not find them in the books 
they read; neither are the names of the sounds of 
the letters given, e.g. short 0. 

For drill, the letters the sounds of which the 
pupils have been taught are written upon slips 
of cardboard 4 inches by 4J inches. On the oppo- 
site side of each card is the same letter in print. 
The pupils are taught to give the sound of the 
one that is presented. If they do not recognize 



8 METHOD FOR TEACfflNG PRIMARY READING 

the letter in print, the card is turned to show the 
script letter. 

Similarly, the words sit, stand, etc., are written 
and printed on the opposite sides of cards 4J 
inches by 9 inches, and the pupils perform the 
acts as the cards are presented, e.g. as the card 
run is presented the child called upon runs, or he 
turns to another child and says, ''run." 

Third Step. From the sounds of the letters 
which the pupils know, the following famihar 
words can be studied out by them : 

Nouns : 



doll 


dot 


fan 


fun 


hat 


ham 


hand 


hill 


jam 


lap 


lamp 


land 


lip 


lot 


lump 


man 


mat 


mill 


milk 


mop 


mud 


nap 


nut 


pan 


pin 


pump 


> rat 


sand 


sky 


skin 


stamp 


spot 


strap 


sun 


tin 


trap 


Pronouns : 












him 




it 


my 




Adjectives: 










dry 




dull 


fat 


flat 


hot 


pink 


silk 


soft 


still 


stiff 


Verbs: 












am 


did 


dip 


drink 


dry 


fill 


fry 


had 


hit 


hum 


hunt 


kill 


lift 


let 


pat 


puff 


ran 


sat 


sift 


lay 


stamp 


stop 


tip 


try 



THE "I SAY" GAME 9 

Adverb: 

not 
Prepositions : 

in on from 

Conjunction : 

and 

These words are classified for the convenience 
of the teacher. The pupils, of course, know 
nothing of nouns, verbs, etc. These words are 
not presented as mere words for the pupils to 
study out. 

In various ways they are presented so that the 
pupils shall care to put forth effort to find out 
what they say, e.g. directions are given in part 
orally, only the underlined words in the direc- 
tions being written upon the board, and studied 
out by the pupils, as : 

Play dip up some milk. Play drink milk. Fill (Write 
fill) your hand with sand. Pat (Write pat) the doll. Play 
dry your hands. Find a picture of a rat in a trap. (Give 
the article a.) Find the picture of a man on a hill. 

The parenthetical sentences are directions to 
the teacher. The teacher must have these 
pictures handy. Other sentences may be 
given. 



lo METHOD FOR TEACHING PRIMARY READING 

Another method is to have the teacher ask 
such questions as the following, placing only the 
underlined words on the board for the pupils to 
sound out. 

Who has a doll ? Has it a hat ? Can the doll drink 
milk ? Can it take a nap ? Can you lift your doll ? Do 
you pat its cheeks ? 

Or the words may be introduced in the form of 
a story, thus : 

One day a little boy wanted some fun, so he made a 
snow man. It (it) was a fat man. The boy made red 
lips for him. He made his eyes of nuts. He put a stiff 
hat on his head, but the snow man could not Hf t his hat. 

The next day the sun shone out hot, on the snow man. 
It did not like that. The little boy put a fan in his hand, 
but he could not fan himself . So he became soft and 
weak and at night there was nothing left of him but two 
nuts, a hat, and a fan. Poor man ! 

Fourth Step. These directions may be added 
to the "I Say" Game. 



I say, drink. 
I say, hum. 
I say, stamp. 
I say, puff. 



Get 


a tin pan. 


Get 


some pins. 


Get 


a pink fan. 


Get 


a lamp. 


Get 


a mop. 


Get 


a strap. 



THE "I SAY" GAME ii 

PLAYING STORE 

Preparation : 

Get a stiff hat. Get a soft hat. 

Get a fan. 

Get some nuts. 

Get a doll. 

Get a silk hat. 

Get a mat. 

Get a pan. 

Get a rat trap. | 

The articles called for, or pictures of them, 
must be within easy reach of the children. After i 

all the articles are arranged for a store, the pupils | 

are furnished with paper money. Then the fol- '■ 

lowing directions are given : ■ 

Buy a strap. i 

Buy a mat. ' 

Give other sentences of the same kind, and 
later when ready to close the recitation : I 

Put up a pink fan. 

Put up some pins. i 

Put up a tin pan. i 

Give other sentences of the same kind. 



CHAPTER III 

THE "SIMON SAYS" GAME 

First Step. Directions for the pupils: 

Simon says, "Thumbs in." 
Simon says, "Thumbs out.'* 
Simon says, "Thumbs up." 
Simon says, "Thumbs down." 
Simon says, "Thumbs wiggle-waggle." 

Explanation : The thumbs are not to be moved 
unless the direction is preceded by ^' Simon says.'' 
The one moving his thumbs at the wrong time is 
out of the game. 

Second Step. The underlined words only are 
placed upon the board, the other part of the direc- 
tion being given orally. The new sounds of 
oUj oWj w, gj are learned. 

Third Step. New words from sounds of letters 
pupils have already learned. These words are 
presented as before suggested : 



THE "SIMON SAYS" GAME 



13 



Nouns : 








dog fig 


flag fog 


frog 


frown 


ground hog 


hound house 


jug 


log 


mouse mug 


owl pig 


rag 


rug 


sound town 


wind 






Pronoun : 








our 








Adjectives: 








loud pug 


round 


stout 


wet 


Verbs: 








dig dug 


found growl 


howl 


hug 


plow pout 


pound swim 


tag 


will 


Adverbs: 








now 


how 






Fourth Step. 









PICTURE STORE PLAY 

Pictures of all of the following objects are within 
easy reach of the children, and as they are gotten 
by them they are arranged tastefully for a picture 
sale. 



Get a gun. 
Get a dog. 
Get a mouse. 
Get a frog. 
Get an owl. 
Get a rug. 
Get a pig . 
Get a flag. 



Get a mug. 
Get a mouse. 
Get a hound. 
Get a hog. 
Get a house. 
Get a jug. 
Get a pug dog. 
Get a round log. 



CHAPTER IV 
"SPIN THE PLATTER" GAME 

Material: a pie tin. 

First Step, Directions and Explanation. Each 
child is given the name of one of the following 
animals : 

cat hen owl 

cow hog pig 

dog horse rabbit 

frog mouse rat 

The platter is spun by a child and the name of 
one of the animals is called by the teacher. The 
child bearing that name must jump out quickly 
and try to catch the platter before it falls. If he 
succeeds, he may spin the platter. If not, he takes 
his seat and the child who at first spun the platter 
spins it again. 

Second Step. When the pupils have learned to 
play the game readily the teacher writes the names 
of the animals upon the board instead of speaking 
them. The new words are cat, cow, rabbit, hen, 
and horse. The teacher will give to the pupils 

14 



SPIN THE PLATTER" GAME 



15 



the new sounds : c, b, e, and or as they need 
them to study out the new words. She also tells 
the pupils not to sound e (pointing to it, not call- 
ing it by name) when they find it at the end of a 
word. 



Third Step. 










Nouns : 










bag bat 


bed 


bell 


belt 


bill 


bonnet bottle 


bug 


cap 


cattle 


cob 


cot cub 


cup 


cord 


corn 


cloud 


clown crowd 


horn 


pet 


robin 




Adjectives: 










big best 


brown 


red 


ten 


wet 


Verbs : 










beg bend 


bent 


bow 


bit 


can 


clap cry 


cut 


fed 


get 


let 


lend met 


mend 


rest 


set 


send 


went 










Prepositions : 










for 


by 








Conjunctions : 










but 


or nor 








A RIDDLE 


TO GUESS 






Fourth Step. 


I can run. 
I can skip. 
I can jump 









i6 METHOD FOR TEACHING PRIMARY READING 

I can hop. 

I can stamp. 

I can bow. 

I can pat a cat. 

I can pound. 

I can fan. 

I can rap on my desk. 

I can tap on my desk. 

I can not fly. 

I can spin a top. 

I can dust. 

I can stand still. 

I can sit down. 

I can hum. 

I can puff. 

{A boy or girl.) 

The sentences are written upon the board, those 
which tell most plainly about the object being 
placed last. The pupils read the sentences and 
as they read try to guess the riddle. If they guess 
it before all the sentences are read, they read on 
to make sure. 

A RIDDLE 

It can not sit down. 
It can stand. 
It can not run. 
It can not skip. 
It can not hop. 



" SPIN THE PLATTER " GAME 17 \ 

It can not jump. 

It can not fly. 

It can not cry. 

It can not lap milk. 

It can not spin a top. ; 

I can lift it. 

I can dust it. | 

I can sit on it. ] 

I rest on it. , 

It is red. 

It is little. 

(A little red chair.) 

THINGS TO DO I 

The teacher must see that all the material nee- \ 

essary for the carrying out of the directions is at i 

hand. 1 

Sit on a rug. i 

Stand on a mat. ■ 

Get the bell. ' 

Set it on the rug. 

Get a brown cap. \ 

Get a top. ] 

Spin the top. 
Tap on a bottle. 
Get a red hat. 
Try it on. 

Get a little red mitten. 
Try it on the doll. 



i8 METHOD FOR TEACHING PRIMARY READING 
PICTURE STORE 

Pupils get the pictures as called for and arrange 
attractively. 

Get a big man and a little dog. 

Get cattle. 

Get a cloud in the sky. 

Get a little cub. 

Get a big cup. 

Get a Uttle kitten. 

Get a little brown hen. 

Get a big horse. 

Get a robin. 

Get a cat. 

Get a Uttle bonnet. 

Get a Uttle red belt. 

Get a little bell. 

A GAME OF THE LION AND THE FARMER 

Explanation : One child is the farmer, another 
is the lion, and the other children bear the names 
of the following animals belonging to the farmer : 



cat 


hen 


hound 


pug dog 


cow 


hog 


kitten 


rabbit 


dog 


horse 


pig 





The three parties are arranged in the form of a 
triangle, the animals at one angle, the farmer at 



"SPIN THE PLATTER" GAME 19 

another, and the Hon at the other. The teacher 
points to the name of an animal which the farmer 
wants (written upon the blackboard). This ani- 
mal tries to reach the farmer before the lion can 
catch him. See how many can play through the 
game without once being caught. 



CHAPTER V 



"MOVEMENTS OF ANIMALS" GAME 

First Step. Directions and Explanation. Each 
child is assigned the name of an animal or 
person whose movements he can imitate. The 
names given are : 



bird 

boy 

cat 

cow 

dog 



duck 

frog 

fish 

girl 

hog 



horse 

hen 

hound 

kitten 

mouse 



owl 

pig 
rabbit 
robin 
rat 



The following directions are given : 
Hop, boy or 
Skip, girl or 




"MOVEMENTS OF ANIMALS" GAME 



21 



Swim, horse or 



Run, kitten or 



Trot, dog or 



fish 
boy- 
girl 
duck 
frog 
dog 

girl 
boy- 
dog 
sheep 
hen 
hog 
cow 

pig 
cat 
rat 
mouse 

horse 
hound 
girl 
boy 



Second Step. Soon the directions are written 
upon the board, the teacher giving to the pupils 
the new combinations; ee, ir, oy, sh, ck. 

Third Step. The following words for pupils to 
study out — those that can be introduced as be- 
fore suggested. 



22 METHOD FOR TEACHING PRIMARY READING 



Nouns 


:; 










back 


bee 


beet 


block 


brick 




brush 


clock 


creek 


deer 


dirt 


dish 


feet 


flock 


geese 


hack 


joy 


Jack 


locket 


neck 


pocket 


rack 


rock 


sack 


sheet 


shell 


ship 


shirt 


shop 


sleet 


socks 


skirt 


stack 


tack 


toy 


tree 


trick 


track 


week 








Adjectives: 










black 


deep 




first 


green 


sick 


sleek 


steep 




sweet 


wee 




Verbs: 












bend 


brush 


crack 


creep 


crush 


hush 


keep 


kick 


lick 


lock 


meet 


pack 


peck 


peep 


pick 


prick 


rock 


rush 


see 


seem 


shout 


stick 


stir 


sleep 


suck 


sweep 


tack 


tick 


tickle 




Fourth Step. 











WHAT THEY CAN DO 

A boy can shout. 

A girl can sweep. 

Jack can jump. 

A little green frog can hop. 

A shy rabbit can hop. 

A robin can fly, and hop, and run. 

A little bird can peep. 

A horse can kick. 

A duck can swim. 

A fish can swim. 



MOVEMENTS OF ANIMALS GAME 23 

A clock can tick. 

A sheep can stamp its feet. 

A creek can run. 

A tree can bend. 

A block can stand. 

The pupils read these sentences from the board. 



FITTING UP A STORE 

Get a deep dish. 
Get a little clock. 
Get a toy. 
Get a brush. 
Get a shell. 
Get blocks. 
Get tacks. 
Get a toy ship. 
Get a flag. 
Get a toy sheep. 
Get a toy deer. 
Get a Httle tub. 

In review add to the directions in the "I Say' 

Game: 

I say, peep. 
I say, sleep. 
I say, sweep. 
I say, stir. 



CHAPTER VI 

"FLYING" GAME 

First Step. Directions. 

Make statements : 

Ducks fly. 
Birds fly. 
Bees fly. 
Sheep fly. 
Fish fly. 
Cats fly. 
Deer fly. 
Geese fly. 
Chickens fly. 
Dogs fly. 
Girls fly. 
Hens fly. 
Cows fly. 
Boys fly. 
Rabbits fly. 
Leaves fly. 
Robins fly. 
Frogs fly. 

Explanation: When the teacher says, "Ducks 
fly/' the pupils move their arms as in flying. 

24 



"FLYING" GAME 



25 



The same movement is made when the other ani- 
mals that fly are named. But when the teacher 
says, "Cows fly," the arms should not move, 
nor should the arms move for others which do not 
fly. 

See how many can play through the game with- 
out once being caught in a mistake. 

Second Step. The directions are later given from 
the board, the teacher helping with the new sounds 
of V and ea in leaves, of s in cows, and of ch in 
chickens. 



Third Step. 



Nouns : 



beads beans 


cheek 


cheese 


chest 


chick 


children chin 


chip 


cream 


dream 


ear 


hand pea 


peach 


meal 


meat 


sea 


seat steam 


stream 


tea 


team 


tear 


van vat 


velvet 


vest 


visit 




Pronoun: 










his 










Adjectives: 










cheap clean 


clear 


dear 


each 


lean mean 


neat 







26 METHOD FOR TEACHING PRIMARY READING 



Verbs: 












beat 


bleat 


cheat 


cheer 


chirp 


chop 


dream 


eat 


fear 


has 


have 


hear 


heat 


is 


lead 


leap 


leave 


please 


preach 


reach 


read 


reap 


scream 




shear 


speak 


teach 


tease 


treat 





Adverb: 

near 

To this list may be added any noun forming 
its plural by adding s. 

In using the cards for phonic drills, from this 
time forward, the pupils give the two sounds 
of s when ^ is presented. When a new word con- 
taining s is given, the pupils try one sound, and if 
this does not give them the word they wish, they 
try the other sound. 

Fourth Step. 

A RIDDLE 

It is little. 

It has legs. 

It has feet. 

It can run. 

It can jump. 

It can not swim. 

It has a bill. 

It can eat corn meal. 



"FLYING" GAME 27 

It can scratch in the dirt. 
It can peck at the sand. 
It can eat bugs. 
It can peep. 

(Chicken,) 



ACTION SENTENCES 

Beat a drum, boys. 
Clap hands, girls. 

Get the bean bags. : 

Toss the red bean bag. -i 

Toss the green bean bag. [ 

Lean on the desk. i 

Clean the little dish. : 

Stand near the seat. j 

Leave the seat. j 

Sit down in a seat. i 

Read. I 

Give a girl a velvet cap. j 



CHAPTER VII 
A BALL GAME 

Material : A hollow rubber ball. 
First Step. Directions : 

Get the ball. 
Catch the ball. 
Run for the ball. 
Bounce the ball. 
Throw the ball. 
Toss the ball. 
Bat the ball. 
Roll the ball. 

Explanation : The first direction is for getting 
the ball to play with. The pupils then form a 
ring, one child being in the center. At the com- 
mands, "Throw," "Bounce," or "Toss the ball," 
the child in the center throws, bounces, or tosses 
the ball to children in the circle, and they throw, 
bounce, or toss it back to // very rapidly. 

At the command, "Roll the ball," all sit upon 
the floor and roll the ball back to It as he rolls it 
to them. At the command, "Bat the ball," 
a pupil bounces the ball to the floor and bats 

28 



A BALL GAME 



29 



it back with the palm of his hand. At the com- 
mand, "Run for the ball," the ball is thrown out- 
side the ring and the one called upon runs for it. 

Seco7td Step. The game is now played from 
written directions, the teacher telling the new 
sounds, — in roll, g in bounce, th in throw, all 
in ball, ow in throw. 

After this, in the phonic drills the pupils give 
two sounds for o, c, and ow, and find out by trial 
which one to use when studying out a new word. 

The article the is told to the pupils. 

Third Step. 

Nouns : 



arrow 


bone 


bow 


cone 


core 


crow 


gold 


grove 


home 


hole 


hose 


hall 


harrow 


joke 


mole 


nose 


ounce 


pillow 


rose 


row 


shore 


smoke 


snow 


sparrow 


stall 


stone 


store 


teeth 


thimble 


thorn 


wall 


willow 


window 








Adjectives: 










low most 


small 1 


tall thick thin 


third 


three 












Verbs 


: 










blow 


call 


choke 


close 


crow 


fall 


fold 


flow 


go 


grow 


hold 


mold 


mow 


open 


poke 


show 


sold 


sow 


spoke 


thank 


thaw 


think 


thresh 


threw 


throw 


told 


woke 









30 METHOD FOR TEACHING PRIMARY READING 

Adverb: 

no 

Fourth Step. 

ACTION SENTENCES 

Open the window. 

Go to sleep. 

Fold hands. 

Mold a little ball. 

Hold the rose. 

Close the window. 

Throw a red (green, black, or brown) ball. 

Call the little chickens. 

Blow the seed. 

Crow as a cock crows. 

Show how the smoke rolls up. 

Give a little girl a thimble. 

Show a bow and arrow. 

Bend the willow. 

Go and get a cone from the window sill. 

Get a small pole. 

Show us a tall tree. 



CHAPTER VIII 

BEAN BAG AND CIRCLE GAME 

First Step. Directions: 

Toss a red bag. 
Toss a green bag. 
Toss a blue bag. 
Toss a yellow bag. 
Toss an orange bag. 
Toss a black bag. 
Toss a brown bag. 
Toss a white bag. 

Explanation : A circle about three feet in diam- 
eter is drawn upon the floor. Bean bags of the 
colors indicated above are provided. The pupils 
stand a certain distance from the circle. Each 
child may have one, two, or three throws, as the 
teacher decides best. See which child can toss 
the most bags wholly within the circle. 

Second Step. The directions are written upon 
the board, the teacher helping with the sounds of 
u in blue, y in yellow, g in orange, wh and I in 
white. 

31 



32 



METHOD FOR TEACHING PRIMARY READING 



flute 


gems 


giant 


glue 


line 


mile 


pie 


pile 


plume 


smile 


thistle 


tie 


tune 


twine 


vine 


wheat 


whistle 









After this when the phonetic card of u is pre- 
sented, the pupils will say, '^u or u" ; when y is 
presented, he will give the long vowel sound and 
the consonant sound; when g and i are presented, 
he will give for each the two sounds that he knows. 

Third Step. 

Nouns : 
child dime 
June kite 
pine pipe 

time truth 

■jvheel whip 

Adjectives: 
fine five 

true 

Pronouns : 

you (o not sounded) 

Adverbs: 

when while 

Verbs : 
bind bite find 

shine strike whine 
wind yell yelp 

By noticing carefully the words in which i 
occurs and those that end in e the pupils may see 
that while e is not sounded, it makes the i say i. 
Those words ending in e in which u occurs give 
the u the u sound. 



huge pure ripe nine 



kind 



your 



why 



yes 



mme 



yet 



grind 
whirl 



like 
whittle 



mind 
wipe 



BEAN BAG AND CIRCLE GAME 33 

Fourth Step. 

ACTION SENTENCES 

Hold up a yellow rose. 

Find a red rose. 

Smell a pink rose. 

Find a white rose. 

Wipe the white dish. 

Give a girl a blue ball. 

Give a boy a white ball. 

Give me a yellow ball. 

Find the flute. 

Give us a tune. 

Hide the thimble. 

Find the thimble. 

Find a blue bird. 

Find a small kite. 

Show us the twine for the kite. 

Wind the twine on a ball. 

Find an orange stick. 

Hold up a blue stick. 

Pick out three yellow sticks. 

Show us five green sticks. 

Find the whistle. 

Whistle on it. 

Show us a black plume. 

Find the glue. 

Find the wheat. 

Sow the wheat. 

Reap the wheat. 

Thresh the wheat. 



34 METHOD FOR TEACHING PRIMARY READING 

Much material, in the form of real objects or 
pictures, is needed for such a lesson, but it pays 
in the amount of studying the pupils do and in the 
interest they take in the doing. 

A RIDDLE 

I am not small. 
I am huge. 
I am round. 
I am not blue. 
I am red or yellow. 
I am in the sky. 
I am not a cloud. 
I melt the snow. 
I dry the streets. 
I shine on you. 
The birds like me. 
The trees like me. 
You like me. 

{The sun.) 



CHAPTER IX I 

i 

"TAKING THE FORT" GAME i 

Materials: Flags of the nine colors mentioned | 

below, also a long fort in the sand table or on the ; 

teacher's desk. j 

First Step. Directions. Part I. 1 

Place the red flag. \ 

Place the yellow flag. ^ 

Place the green flag. ; 

Place the white flag. 

Place the black flag. ■ 

Place the purple flag. 

Place the orange flag. 

Place the blue flag. '•■ 

Place the brown flag. ! 

Directions. Part II. \ 

Take down the white flag. ' 

Take down the blue flag, etc. ] 

Explanation: The pupils are divided into two j 

equal groups. The first group places the flags, 
and the second group takes them down. If a 
child called upon cannot place the right flag, the 

35 



36 METHOD FOR TEACHING PRIMARY READING 

teacher places it for him. When all the flags 
have been placed, tell how many the teacher has 
placed. 

Then the second side plays. If a child can- 
not take down the flag as he is asked to do it, 
it is left standing. At the close of the exercise 
see how many flags are left standing. If, for 
example, three are left standing, and the teacher 
sets up five for the other side, the second side 
wins, by two flags; if the teacher sets up but one 
flag, the first side beats by two. 

Second Step. The game is played from written 
directions, the teacher helping to the sounds of 
a in place, and ur in purple. 

The pupils now give the letter a two sounds, in 
the phonetic drills. 

Third Step. 



Nouns : 












blade 


bur 


cage 


cake 


cane 


cape 


cave 


date 


face 


flake 


fur 


gate 


game 


Grace 


Jane 


Kate 


lace 


lake 


lane 


mane 


name 


nurse 


page 


pane 


paste 


plate 


potato 


purse 


race 


rake 


shade 


shape 


spade 


stake 


table 


tomato 


Adjectives: 











lame 



late 



pale 



same 



tame 



"TAKING THE FORT" GAME 



37 



Verbs : 
bake blame 

gave hate 

pur save 

wade wake 



burn 
hurt 
shake 
waste 



came 
made 
take 
wave 



chase 
make 
taste 



churn 
place 
trade 



Fourth Step. 



A RIDDLE 



I have two hands. 

I can not shake hands. 

I can strike. 

I will not strike you. 

I have a face. 

I can not see. 

I can not smile. 

I can not cry. 

I can not pout. 

I can not pur. 

I have no mouth. 

I can not smell. 

I have no nose. 

I can not hear. 

I have no ears. 

You hear me. 

I have no feet. 

Yet I run. 

(Clock.) 



Tell the pupils the word two. 



38 METHOD FOR TEACHING PRIMARY READING 

A RIDDLE 

It is big. 

It has legs. 

It can run. 

It can not hop. 

It can wade. 

It has a face. 

It has a nose. 

It has a mouth. 

It has no mane. 

It has no fur. 

It eats corn. 

It has horns. 

It gives us milk. 

It gives us cream. 

We churn the cream. 

(Cow.) 



CHAPTER X 

'^HIDE THE RINGS" GAME 

Material : Celluloid or wooden rings of the 
nine colors mentioned below. 

First Step. Directions : 

Take a red ring. 
Take a blue ring. 
Take a purple ring. 
Take a yellow ring. 
Take an orange ring. 
Take a green ring. 
Take a brown ring. 
Take a white ring. 
Take a black ring. 

The pupils close their eyes and the ring 
holders hide the rings. Then these directions 
are given : 

Find the blue ring. 
Find the white ring. 

Give other sentences of this kind. 

At first only two or three rings are hidden at a 

39 



40 METHOD FOR TEACHING PRIMARY READING 

time. When the pupils are told to find a ring of 
a certain color no ring but the one of that color 
must be disturbed. The finder calls, ''I spy/' 
and holds up the ring. Then another ring is 
sought, and so on. 

Second Step. The pupils play the game from 
written directions, the teacher helping with ing 
in ring. 

Tests : As the teacher holds up, for example, a 
brown ring, a pupil erases the phrase that describes 
it. 

Sometimes, for example, write, ^'Find the 
green ring," before that ring has been hidden, or 
"Hide the red ring," when it has already been 
hidden. 

The pupils must feel the need of being alert 
constantly. 

Third Step, 

Nouns : 
king swing thing wing morning spring 

string 

Verbs : 
cling bring ding-dong ring sing 

sting 
the present participle of many verbs 



"HIDE THE RINGS" GAME 41 

Fourth Step. 

A RIDDLE 
It has legs. 
It can not hop. 
It can not run. 
It has a foot. 
It can not see. 

It is white, or brown, or green, or blue. 
You sleep on it. 
You leave it in the morning. 

{Bed.) 

RIDDLE 

It is small. 

It can run. 

It can hop. 

It can jump. 

It has wings. 

It can fly. 

It has a yellow bill. 

It can sing. 

It has a brown breast. 

I call it a red breast. 

{Rohin.) 

RIDDLE 

It is round. 
It has a big mouth. 
It has big teeth. 
It can not eat. 
It has a big nose. 



42 METHOD FOR TEACHING PRIMARY READING 

It can not smell. 

It has big eyes. 

It can not see. 

It can not run. 

It has no feet. 

It has no hands. 

It holds a candle. 

It visits you in the fall. 

Will you run from it ? 

{J ack-o^ -lantern.) 
Note. Tell the pupils the word eyes. 

RIDDLE 
I can not speak. 
I can not eat. 
I have no mouth. 
I can sing. 
I can whistle. 
I have no wings. 
I can fly. 
I have no hands. 
I toss the leaves. 
I ripple the creek. 
I make the windmill go. 
I dry the ground. 
I take your hat and toss it up. 
I may fan you. 
I may drive you. 
I bring the storms. 

{The Wind.) 



"HIDE THE RINGS" GAME 43 

THE LITTLE RED HEN AND THE GEAIN 
OF WHEAT 

Once upon a time there was a little red hen. She lived 
in the farmyard with a cat, a rat , and a pig . 

One morning as she was scratching for her breakfast 
she saw a grain of wheat. So she said, " Who will plant 
this wheat ? " " Not I ," said the cat . " Not I ," said the 
pig. " Not I ," said the rat . " Then I will ," said the Uttle 
red hen, and she did. 

The wheat grew and grew. It was green at first, then 
it became yellow. It was ripe. Then the little red hen 
said, " Who will cut this wheat ? " " Not I ," said the rat. 
"Not I," said the pig . "Not I," said the cat . " Then I 
will," said the httle red hen, and she did. 

When the wheat was cut the little red hen said, "Now 
who will thresh the wheat ? " "Not I," said the cat . "Not 
I," said the pig . " Not I ," said the rat . "Then I will ," 
said the little red hen, and she did. 

When the wheat was threshed the Httle red hen said, 
" Now who will take the wheat to the mill? " "Not I," 
said the pig. " Not I ," said the rat . " Not I ," said the 
cat. "Then I will," said the Httle red hen, and she did. 

When the wheat was ground, the little red hen brought 
the flour home. Then she said, "Now who will do the 
baking?" "Not I," said the rat. "Not I," said the cat. 



44 METHOD FOR TEACHING PRIMARY READING 

"Not I," said the pig . ''Then I will /' said the little red 
hen, and she did. 

And now all stand around the little red hen. The 
baking is out and the table is set. ''Who is going to eat 
this?" said the little red hen . ''I will," said the cat. "I 
will," said the pig. "I will," said the rat. "No you will 
not," said the little red hen, and she ate it all up . 

The presentation of the story is made as follows : 

As the first paragraph of this story is given to 
the children the underlined words are written 
upon the board. They are not to be told by the 
teacher. The pupils read them. The words 
who and do must be told to the pupils. 

When the next paragraph is given they will 
read more readily, and on account of frequent 
repetitions become famiHar with the new words. 

When the story is reviewed the teacher points 
to the words, phrases, and sentences, and the pupils 
read them. Or the pupils point to and give the 
words as the teacher does her part of the telling of 
the story. At last the pupils will be ready to tell 
the story, and point to the parts on the board as 
they tell it. 

At the close of the recitation the pupils may 
clear the board in this way : the teacher tells one 



{ 

i 

i 
"HIDE THE RINGS" GAME 45 1 

child to erase the name of one of the animals in ,; 

the farmyard, giving its name as he does so. I 

Another erases the name of another animal. One | 

is asked to erase the word that tells the color of : 

the hen, another to erase the word that tells ; 
about the size of the hen, another to erase the 

word that tells what the hen found, thus con- | 

necting word constantly with idea. I 



CHAPTER XI 

PLAY OF THE LEAVES GAME 

Material: Autumn leaves of various colors, 
one pinned upon each child except one. This 
one child is the wind. 

First and Second Steps. Directions : The teacher 
writes ''You may be a red leaf." The other leaves 
are assigned in a similar manner. The child who 
is the wind points to the directions upon the board. 
If any child fails to respond correctly, he is out 
of the game until he does so respond. The direc- 
tions are : 

Come, red leaf. 

Come, green leaf. 

Come, brown leaf. 

Come, yellow leaf. 

Come, red and yellow leaf. 

Come, red and green leaf. 

Fly with me. 

Fly over the ground. 

Whirl with me. 

Sail with me. 

Drop down under the trees. 

Sleep, all you leaves. 
46 



PLAY OF THE LEAVES GAME 



47 



The teacher helps with the new sounds om in 
come, th in with, e in me, er in over, ai in sail. 

The new combinations — om, ai, th, and er — 
are printed upon cards for drill, and when the letter 
e is presented the pupils say "e or e." 

Third Step. 

Nouns : 



bait 


blossom 


blotter brain 


butter 


chain 


cistern 


clover 


cracker dinner 


dipper 


fern 


flower 


grain 


hail hunter 


jail 


lantern 


letter 


lumber 


mail miller 


nail 


number 


pail 


pain 


paper pepper 


rain 


raisin 


rider 


river 


Rover shower 


silver 


sister 


slipper 


snail 


spider sprain 


stain 


supper 


tail 


tailor 


teacher term 


train 


waist 


winter 


summer 


something 






Pronouns : 








he 


her 


herself she 


them 


we 


Adject 


ives : 








better 


bitter 


kinder 


longer 


some 


handsome lonesome that 


this 


these 


those 










Verbs: 












bathe 


braid 


breathe 






be 


laid 


paid 






paint 


raise 


wait 




Prepositions : 










over 


under 


with 





48 METHOD FOR TEACHING PRIMARY READING 
Fourth Step. 

ACTION SENTENCES 

Come here, girls. 

Come here, boys. 

Read from this paper. 

Tell me all that it tells you. 

Ring those little bells. 

Sing, girls. 

All sing. 

Place a silver cup on the table. 

Is that milk in the cup ? 

Place the clover in the small vase. 

Tap, tap, like the rain. 

Get a pail. 

Fill it with sand. 

Get a yellow blotter for me. 

Get a grain of wheat. 

Get a kernel of corn. 

Which is the larger ? 

Show how to scatter grain. 

Show how to reap grain. 

What grain is made into flour ? 

(Tell the word What), 

A RIDDLE 

I have no lips. 
I can sing. 
I have no legs. 
I have no feet. 



PLAY OF THE LEAVES GAME 49 

I can not run. 

Sometimes I run over. 

I have no hands. 

You take me by the handle. 

I have a Hd. 

I have a spout. 

I am placed over the fire. 

Sometimes I am copper. 

Sometimes I am tin. 

I help to make tea. 

{Teakettle.) 

A RIDDLE 
It has legs. 
It can run. 
It can scratch. 
It has a tail. 
It has ears. 
It has a nose. 
It has eyes. 

It can sleep in the daytime. 
It can see in the daytime. 
It can see when you sleep. 
It has a mouth. 
It has whiskers. 
It likes milk. 
It catches mice. 
Sometimes it catches birds. 
It has a fur coat. 
It can pur. 
It can meow. (^^^ ) 



50 METHOD FOR TEACHING PRIMARY READING 

A RIDDLE 

Sometimes it is round. 

Sometimes it is not round. 

It has a brown coat. 

It is white. 

It has no ears. 

It has no mouth. 

It has no face. 

But it has eyes. 

It can not see. 

It grows in the ground. 

You Hke it. 

You eat it. 

You peel it before you eat it. 

You may bake it. 

You may fry it. 

You may bake or fry it. 

(Potato.) 

A RIDDLE 

I come in the Spring. 

I can not swim. 

Sometimes I hop. 

I can not skip. 

I can fly. 

Sometimes you see me on the trees. 

Sometimes you see me on the ground. 

I make my house. 

I make it in the tree. 



PLAY OF THE LEAVES GAME 51 

I make it with my bill. 

I peck, peck, peck. 

Sometimes I get on your house. 

I tap, tap, tap. 

I am a bird. 

I go up tree trunks. 

Which bird am I ? 



{Woodpecker.) ) 



A RIDDLE 

We are little. 

Sometimes we grow under trees. 

Sometimes we grow near the river. 

Sometimes we grow near a creek. 

You like us. 

We like the rain. 

We like the sun. 

The rain and sun make us grow. 

The wind bends us over. 

Some of us are purple. 

Some of us are blue. 

Some of us are yellow. 

Some of us are white. 

We come in the Spring. 

(Violets.) 



CHAPTER XII 
SOUNDS OF ANIMALS GAME 

First and Second Steps. Directions and Ex- 
planation : 

Each child is assigned from the board one of 
the following names of animals : 

cow duck hen 

chicken dog sheep 

• bee pig turkey 
kitty 

The teacher then points to one of these names and 
says, e.g., "Tell me what this animal says/' The 
child must respond with the appropriate sound. 
Later the words 

Meow, meow, 

Quack, quack, 

Moo, moo, 

Wee, wee, 

Peep, peep. 

Gobble, gobble, 

Cluck, cluck, 

Buzz, buzz. 

Bow wow, 

Baa, baa, 
52 



SOUNDS OF ANIMALS GAME 



53 



are scattered over the board. When the teacher 
says, e.g. '^ Tell me what this animal says " (pointing 
to its name), the child not only responds in sound, 
but as he does so points to the words he says. 

The teacher helps with the new sounds of y, 
qu, z, 00, and a, and henceforth when the y on the 
phonetic card is used the pupils give three sounds 
for it. 



Third Step, 










Nouns: 










baby berry 


boot 


bossy 


breeze 


bunny 


cherry city 


lady 


Mary 


moon 


muzzle 


noon puppy 


quail 


queen 


quill 


quilt 


room squirrel 


story 


tool 


zoo 




Adjectives: 










cool dirty 




dizzy 


easy 


every 


funny happy 


jolly 


lazy 


merry 


sleepy sorry 




queer 


quick 


quiet 


Verbs: 










carry freeze 


froze 


hoot 


hurry 


quit 


shoot sneeze 


squeal 


squeeze 


squirm 


squirt 


Adverbs: 










quickly quite 


quietly very soon 


too 


Fourth Step. 












PICTURE EXHIBIT 







The pictures mentioned below are upon the 
table and the pupils arrange them for an exhibit. 



54 METHOD FOR TEACHING PRIMARY READING 

Get '' Cherry Ripe" and place it. 

Get the lady and the baby. 

Get the jolly squirrel sitting on a branch. 

Get the little bunny. 

Place the queen. 

Get the round moon in the blue sky. 

Get the bossy cow coming up the lane. 

Get the funny puppy dog. 



CHAPTER XIII 

THE PLAY OF TOUCH 

First and Second Steps. Directions and Ex- 
planation : 

THE PLAY OF TOUCH 

Touch your arm. 
Touch your foot. 
Touch your mouth. 
Touch your feet. 
Touch your ears. 
Touch your hand. 
Touch your chin. 
Touch your cheeks. 
Touch your neck. 
Touch your nose. 
Touch your eyes. 
Touch your Hps. 

The directions are written upon the board and 
the pupils are called upon to perform the actions. 
The teacher helps with the new sounds of ar in 
arm, oo in foot, and the pupils give two sounds for 
00 and for s in the phonetic drills. Later, as a 
test, the teacher, or a pupil, e.g.^ points to her 

55 



56 METHOD FOR TEACHING PRIMARY READING 

eyes, and a pupil erases the word eyes, and so 
the other words are erased. 



Third step. 










Nouns : 










arm barn 


book 


car 


card 


carpet 


cart Charles 


crook 


farm 


garden 


harm 


hook jar 


Karl 


lard 


lark 


marble 


March Margaret 


Mark 


market 


park 


star 


starch tar 


tart 








Adjectives: 










good dark 


hard 


large 


sharp 


smart 


Verbs: 










are bark cook 


look 


starve 


start 


shook 


stood took 











Adverbs: 

far farther 

Interjections : 

hark good-by 



Fourth Step. 



A RIDDLE 

I am Uttle. 

I have black eyes. 

I have little ears. 

I have sharp teeth. 

I eat cake. 

I eat apples. 



THE PLAY OF TOUCH 57 

I eat crackers. 

I eat flour and cornmeal. 

I like sweet things. 

I eat cheese. 

I run when kitty comes. 

I am gray. 

(Mouse.) 

A RIDDLE 

They are pretty. 
Some are white. 
Some are blue. 
Some are purple. 
They look like bells. 
They open in the morning. 
They close when the sun shines. 
They have green leaves. 
The leaves look like hearts. 

(Morning glories.) 

(Tell the pupils they and pretty.) 

RHYME 

Hark ! hark ! how the dogs bark, 
The beggars are coming to town, 

Some in rags, some in tags. 
And some in velvet gowns. 

(Tell the word to). 



58 METHOD FOR TEACHING PRIMARY READING 

A RIDDLE 

It was small. 

Now it is tall. 

It was green. 

Now it is brown. 

It has ears. 

It can not hear. 

Sometimes its ears are red. 

Sometimes its ears are yellow and red. 

Sometimes its ears are white. 

Sometimes its ears are yellow. 

Sometimes its ears are black. 

Chickens peck at its ears. 

Its leaves do not fall. 

Cows like the leaves and the ears. 

Horses like them, too. 

{Corn plant.) 

(Tell the word was. This riddle is given after 
the pupils have noticed various kinds of corn. 

A RIDDLE 

It is pretty. 

It is small. 

It has two eyes. 

It has a large mouth. 

It has no legs. 

It has no wings. 

It has a tail. 

It has fins. 

It looks like gold. 

{Goldfish.) 



THE PLAY OF TOUCH 59 

A STORY 

In a big woods stands a tall tree ; on the tall tree grows 
a large branch; on the large branch is a Httle nest; in 
the little nest is a blue egg ; in the blue egg is a httle bird. 
Soon it will sing, "Weet, weet, weet." 

Write the whole story on the board for the 
pupils to read. 

RHYME 

"I think when a little chicken drinks, 
He takes the water in his bill. 
And then he holds his head way up 
So the water can run down hill." 

— Neidlinger. 

(The pupils will need help with wa in water.) 



CHAPTER XIV 

THE SUMMARY 

Summary as to attainments of the pupils in 
Reading up to the present time. 

1. The pupils recognize at a glance a great 
many words in script. 

2. They know many of these words also, in 
print. 

3. They read quite fluently. 

4. They have formed the habit of looking to 
the word for the thought back of it. 

5. They know the sounds of the following letters 
and combinations of letters (fifty-nine in all) : 

a. Vowels, a, e, i, o, u, y, a, e, ee, 1, o, u, y, 06, 00. 

b. Consonants, b,-e, g, d, f, g, g, h, j, k, 1, m, n, 
p, r, s, s, t, V, w, y, z. 

c. Combination of letters: ai (pail), ar (car), 
all (ball), ch (chicken), ck (pick), ea (eat), er (her), 
ing, ir (girl), om (some), ou (house), or (horse), 
ow (how), ow (grow), oy (boy), qu, sh (wish), 
th, thur (fur), wh, wa (water). 

60 



THE SUMMARY 6i 

6. They are able to pick out for themselves 
any word in their spoken vocabulary, providing 
it be composed of the above sounds. 

7. Reading is a pleasure because by it the pupils 
learn many things which they wish to know. 

FROM SCRIPT TO PRINT ON CHARTS 

The work from the board may occupy a term or 
more of time. It has the advantage of allowing 
the reading lessons to grow out of the interests of 
the children, of making the words large, of having 
the attention of every pupil directed to the same 
spot, and of having the words appear as wholes 
(not broken up into separated letters as in print). 

As the reading from a chart is to be a prepara- 
tion for reading from a book, the choice of the 
book comes first. 

The teacher chooses a reader which contains the 
most interesting material (other necessary re- 
quirements being observed in it). The reader 
should have large clear type and good pictures. 
It should contain many words with which the 
pupils are acquainted, or, at least, such as they 
can study out with their present knowledge of 
sounds of letters. There should also be much 
interesting repetition. 



62 METHOD FOR TEACHING PRIMARY READING 

Before the pupils take up reading from a chart 
they should know in script all the words which will 
be used on the chart, and should know the letters 
and combinations of letters (found in the words) 
in print. For this purpose as soon as a book is 
decided upon the teacher makes lists of all the 
words found on the first twelve or more pages. 
Those with which the pupils are not familiar she 
presents (in script) on the board in the form of 
games or in other interesting ways. When these 
words are all familiar to the pupils in script, she 
makes charts of manila cardboard 36 inches X 24 
inches. She uses attractive illustrative pictures 
on these charts, and prints with rubber type (not 
crowded at all) directions for games, or other in- 
teresting directions or stories, using no words with 
which the pupils are not familiar in script. She 
presents in this way, in print, all the words on the 
first few pages in the book. The only new thing 
on the charts is print instead of script. 

FROM CHART TO BOOKS 

Now that the pupils know in large print all the 
words on the first twelve or more pages of their 
Readers, they have only to learn to manage a 
book for themselves, and to keep the place, which 



THE SUMMARY 63 

is quite enough. The reading is easy for them, as 
they know all the words in print and this gives 
them confidence in themselves. They read rapidly 
and take pride in it. 

After the pupils begin to read from books one 
period should be given to phonetics. In this class 
the pupils learn new sounds of letters and com- 
binations of letters. They also gain skill in the 
use of these sounds. 

Whenever a new word comes up in Reading the 
pupils ''sound it out" if they can. A few words 
such as who, one, says, eyes, etc., must be told to 
the pupils. 



PART TWO 

HOW TO USE A READER IN PRIMARY 
GRADES 



65 



HOW TO USE A READER IN PRIMARY 
GRADES 

There are habits of reading which pupils should 
begin to form as soon as they begin to use a book. 
A few suggestions of help in forming these habits 
are given here. 

HABIT I 

The habit of comprehending the meaning of the 
author and of entering into the feeling in what he 
says. 

Pictures accompany most of the lessons in the 
Primers and First and Second Readers. They are 
usually placed at the heads of the lessons. The 
pupils study a picture and tell as much of the story 
as the picture tells them, but as the picture does 
not tell all they wish to know, they study the lesson 
to find out more about it. For example, a little 
girl in the story is crying. The children read to 
find out why she is crying. 

If the book tells the pupils to perform some 
action, they perform it or call upon another child 

67 



68 METHOD FOR TEACHING PRIMARY READING 

to do SO. If the book says, " Run to the table," all 
read silently until one is called upon to do as 
directed. Then, again, this pupil may say to 
another pupil, '^Run to the table," and the latter 
pupil then runs to the table as the book says. 

Pupils should play a game as preparation for 
reading about how a game is played, so that they 
may read it understandingly, and with added in- 
terest. Thus, if pupils are to read about how 
"Charley Over the Water" is played, they may 
first play it according to the teacher's directions, 
not knowing that soon they are to read about it. 

If a conversation is carried on in the lesson, the 
pupils take the parts of the different characters, 
each reading the part of the conversation that 
belongs to him. 

Much discrimination is needed to pick out the 
conversation only. If the lesson is at all difficult, 
have the pupils read it through once before they 
dramatize it, that the attention may not be divided 
between studying out the passages and giving 
them with feeling. 

Questions asked in the book are to be answered 
by the pupil reading. He, however, may address 
the question to some other child in the class. The 
one addressed reads the answer from the book if 



HOW TO USE A READER 69 

the answer is given. If the answer is not in the 
book, he gives his own answer to the question. 

Often the teacher asks a question and the pupils 
find the answer in their books. One is then called 
upon to read it. 

Under other conditions the teacher gives out a 
topic and asks the pupils to read all they can find 
about it. That is, ''Read how the Chinese girl is 
dressed.'' 

Sometimes the pupils are asked to look through 
a paragraph and tell what the paragraph is about. 

Very often it is well to give a comprehensive 
topic at the beginning of the Reading recitation 
— one that shall arouse a lively interest and cover 
the whole lesson. The teacher may say, "We are 
to read about a contest between the Ice and an 
Indian and see which came out ahead." The 
teacher must keep the topic before the pupils as 
they proceed with their reading. Ask "Which is 
ahead now ?" At the close of the lesson the pupils 
should realize that they have found out what they 
set out to find. To lose sight of the purpose after 
completing the labor robs the lesson of its greatest 
efficiency. 

Unfamiliar objects and scenes which the pupils 
read about should, as far as possible, be made 



70 METHOD FOR TEACfflNG PRIMARY RE.ADING 

familiar to the pupils. For this purpose the 
teacher will often need to arrange for material 
and information. It will be found necessary some- 
times to make an excursion many days before the 
lesson is to be read. She will need to bring into 
the class objects and pictures — the very best that 
can be obtained for the purpose of making the 
text clear. Many times she will need to sketch 
rapidly at the board the scenes that will make 
the description clear. 

The teacher should always bear in mind that the 
child is now getting ideas with which he will all 
his life interpret what he hears and reads. There- 
fore she should take an infinite amount of trouble to 
make sure that these ideas are vi\dd, accurate, and 
clear. The pupil cannot intelligently enter into 
the spirit of what he reads otherwise or make full 
use of the ideas afterwards. 

The pupils are encouraged to make rapid, rough 
sketches at the board to illustrate points in their 
reading lessons. 

The teacher does not stop a pupil while reading 
to make a correction, nor do the pupils raise hands 
to show that a mistake has been made ; either 
would make a break in the child's thought, and 
be impoHte to him. If what he is reading does 



HOW TO USE A READER 71 

not make sense, he should discover it for himself. 
If he cannot help himself, let him ask help of the 
teacher or a classmate. If what he reads does 
convey the meaning of the author, the pupil 
having substituted for a word another meaning 
the same, the mistake may sometimes be passed 
by without comment, or it may be corrected when 
the pupil is through reading. 

That the pupils may understand the meaning 
and enter into the f eeKng of a poem, some prepara- 
tion for its reading is usually necessary. After the 
teacher has given the setting of the poem, or has 
connected it interestingly with the lives of the 
children, the teacher may read the poem to the 
class. By proper reading appreciation of the 
poem may be shown, and an interest in poetry 
may be established. 

Then, taking it up stanza by stanza (if difficult 
at all), she gives the pupils the help they need to 
make the meaning clear. The pupils ask questions 
about anything that they do not understand in 
the poem. After these explanations the teacher 
may read it again; this time the pupils should get 
a much better idea of the meaning. In this way a 
keener appreciation of the feeling may be aroused. 

Now, if the pupils can read it weU, they may do 



72 METHOD FOR TEACHING PRIMARY READING 

so; if not, the poem is passed by for the present, 
returning to it when the pupils are better able to 
read. Pupils should never be allowed to blunder 
through poetry; otherwise, they will not enjoy it. 
The teacher can often lead the pupils into the 
feeling of a reading lesson by taking her turn at 
reading, or by impersonating one of the charac- 
ters in a story which they are reading. There is 
danger of doing too much of this, but there is a 
greater danger of doing too little. The enthu- 
siasm and sympathy with which the teacher 
reads will be very contagious. 

HABIT II 

The habit of inquiring about anything which 
the pupil does not understand in his reading lesson. 

If the pupil comes across an unfamiliar word, 
statement, or reference, he should inquire what 
it is or what it means. He should never wait for 
his teacher or classmates to ask him. If he reads 
without making such inquiry, it is fair to suppose 
that he understands what he has read and any 
member of the class may ask for an explanation. 
If he cannot explain, he is made to feel that he has 
not been quite honest, acting as if he knew, when 
he did not know. 



HOW TO USE A READER 73 

HABIT in 

The habit of expressing, without solicita- 
tion, the child's candid opinion about what he 
reads. 

This habit springs up and grows in an atmos- 
phere of good fellowship. 

It is encouraged by the teacher giving occasion- 
ally, quietly, and naturally her own opinion. 

" What do you think of that ? '' may occasionally 
be asked at first. Later it will not be necessary 
to prompt the child to express an opinion. New 
and interesting material calls forth the child's 
free expression. 



HABIT IV 

The habit of connecting what the child reads 
with his experiences or with anything similar which 
he has heard or read. 

This habit may be encouraged by asking occa- 
sionally, "Of what does that remind you?" 
After reading Stevenson's poem, ''Where Go the 
Boats," and after having made little boats and 
sailed them, the pupils should call up their ex- 
perience similar to that in the poem. 



74 METHOD FOR TEACHING PRIMARY READING 

HABIT V 

The child's habit of studying out unfamiliar 
words for himself. 

The children should be taught to recognize 
and give promptly the sounds of letters and com- 
binations of letters. 

They should be taught to notice the setting in 
a sentence of an unfamiliar word — not only the 
words which go before, but those which come after, 
and note their meaning. With the meaning in 
mind they will often need to give but a sound or 
two of the new word (providing it is in their 
speaking vocabulary) to surmise quite accurately 
what the word is in the sentence. In ''Here are 
some grains of wheat," the word grains comes 
into the reading for the first time, but the child 
having looked ahead and taken in the phrase of 
wheat, easily gets the word grains by sounding 
the gr. 

HABIT VI 

The habit of reading fluently. (The prepara- 
tion made before reading a lesson makes a diffi- 
cult lesson much easier.) 

Through the study of the picture many of the 
new words may be introduced. As the pupils 



HOW TO USE A READER 75 

use these new words in describing the picture the 
teacher writes them upon the board, and they are 
reviewed in such a way as to be connected with 
the idea they express. Sentences of this kind 
may be used: "Find the name of the pony." 
"Find the words that tell where the pony was" 
(in the field). "Find the words that tell what 
the pony eats." 

Rapid word drills are given. Words which 
commonly give trouble, such as, was, been, should, 
who, etc., are printed upon slips of manila card- 
board, 9 inches X4J inches. On the opposite side 
of the card the word is written, so the teacher knows 
what word she is presenting. The pupils may all 
stand. When one misses a word he sits down. He 
may stand again, if the next time about he gives 
correctly the word he missed before. 

Phrase drills help the pupils to take in a group 
of words at a glance. For this purpose the teacher 
writes upon the blackboard, in a column, phrases 
which have occurred in a previous lesson so that 
they shall have meaning for the pupils. Usually 
these phrases should contain but three or four 
words, and never more than five short words. A 
window shade is fastened at the top of the black- 
board and is let down over the phrases. For the 



76 METHOD FOR TEACHING PRIMARY READING 

drill the shade is rolled up so as to expose one 
phrase only; this is quickly erased and a child is 
called upon to give it. The other phrases are 
dealt with in the same way. 

The pupils are asked to open their books to a 
certain page, find the title of the lesson, and 
close the books quickly. Then one pupil is called 
upon to give the title. 

The teacher asks a question, the answer to 
which the pupils must find in their books and give 
as soon as possible. 

Pupils glance through a paragraph quickly, 
then all close their books at the same time. One is 
called upon to give the substance of the paragraph, 
others helping if necessary. 

The articles the and a are never separated from 
the nouns to which they belong, but the article 
and its noun are treated as one word. 

HABIT VII 

The habit of giving natural appreciative expres- 
sion to the child's oral reading. 

This habit is induced by giving the child inter- 
esting reading books in which the text is not over 
difficult — so difficult that the child loses the 
thought in studying out the words. 



HOW TO USE A READER 77 

It is encouraged by giving the child an appre- 
ciative audience. So it is often well for a class 
to present a story to another class or to another 
school. If a pupil is to do his best, he must feel 
that what he is giving is worth giving and worth 
listening to. 

Live remarks made by the teacher often arouse 
the child and lead him to express himself well ; 
say, ^' Quick, see if the boy escaped from the 
Indian," or inquiries that spur on the thought 
in the lesson may be made. 

If the pupils cannot read a passage well, the 
teacher may read it, showing them how to con- 
vey the meaning or feeling, but ordinarily the 
child should not read the passage immediately 
after the teacher reads it, lest his reading be mere 
imitation and not the expression of his own feeling. 

The dramatization of an interesting conversa- 
tion for the purpose of presenting the little drama 
before parents or friends puts spirit into the oral 
reading. The pupils know that they must read 
their parts well if they are to entertain, and with 
this motive in view they study with zeal and 
practice with pleasure, and as a by-product gain 
much power to recognize words and interpret 
their meaning. 



78 METHOD FOR TEACHING PRIMARY READING 

The pupils may sometimes be asked to look 
through a short description and read aloud any- 
thing that is new and especially interesting. 
Short simple stories, all different, may be given, 
one each, to the members of the class. Each 
child looks silently through his story and then the 
papers are laid aside by all but one, who reads 
to entertain the class. If he reads poorly, he 
usually realizes it and asks more time for study. 
One child after another reads, each well-read story 
giving to the members of the class an ambition to 
read well. 

If the reading lesson is at all difficult, the pupils 
should be allowed time to study silently a sen- 
tence or a paragraph before reading aloud. The 
pupils get help from the teacher in pronouncing 
words, if they cannot help themselves. They ask 
about anything that they do not understand. 
This saves the pupil the mortification of reading 
blunderingly. 

HABIT VIII 

The habit of enunciating distinctly. 

This habit is best cultivated by the use of a 
good pattern. The teacher should enunciate 
clearly and distinctly. 



HOW TO USE A READER 79 

Short sharp drills in clear enunciation should 
often be given. 

The teacher should insist in all of her recita- 
tions that the whole words be pronounced. 

HABIT IX 

The habit of standing squarely and of holding 
the book well must be insisted upon constantly. 

HABIT X 

The habit of reading outside of school. 

The pupils may be given stories to read at home 
and report upon at general exercises. The child 
must read the story for himself. His parents are 
requested not to read it for him. 

Each pupil chooses some short story in a book 
or paper at home or in the school library. After 
the teacher has approved his story, he takes it 
home and studies it so that he may read it to his 
class or to the whole school. 

The whole class take books home and study 
a selection so that they may present it before the 
school as a class. 

Through cooperation of teacher and parents 
the pupils often read their favorite stories at home 
to the family circle. 



8o METHOD FOR TEACHING PRIMARY READING 

The teacher begins an interesting story at school, 
and at a very interesting point stops, and gives 
the pupils the story to finish at home. Allow the 
pupils to read books at school when they have 
finished well an assigned piece of work, and when 
time remains before new tasks must be begun. 

These habits being well formed, the pupils should 
live in their reading, and by their reading make 
their auditors live. 



T 



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